Witnesses' exodus signals summer's end

They're the ultimate indicator that it's summer in the city, the best time of year in Long Beach.

I'm speaking, of course, of the Jehovah's Witnesses.

Each year, the faithful are expected to attend one three-day convention.

For Southern California Witnesses, it means a trek to Long Beach.

For me, it means summer is here, since nearly every weekend from May through September, they converge on the Long Beach Arena. And when they leave – after this weekend's convention – it means summer is over.

They're a tidy bunch: The arena parking lot is always neater on Sunday evening after the convention than on Friday morning before it.

They're polite: Only once in seven years have I been “recruited,” and that was more like “If you're interested, stop on by.”

And they know how to park cars. Seriously, the volunteer parking crew directs vehicles with the skill of the Disneyland parking staff (well, at least before Disney put in the behemoth parking structure).

They also spend money here but less than you might think. Although each session draws thousands of attendees, they're a different crowd than other convention-goers. Most are commuters heading home each evening. And while they stock up on coffee and breakfast from McDonald's and Subway each morning, few attendees head out at lunchtime: Instead, most pack a cooler and either tailgate in the parking lot or picnic at nearby Rainbow Lagoon Park to stay focused on the business of the day.

Of course, Rainbow Lagoon and the Shoreline Drive area are popular for other events, too, and their near-constant presence makes for, if not strange bedfellows, then at least a crowded bed. This past Sunday, for instance, the area hosted the Witnesses, the Lobster Festival and the Long Beach Triathlon. Something for everyone: Feed your soul, feed your face or face a challenge.

But all good things must come to an end. Next Friday, when my dog and I take our morning walk that crosses the arena parking lot, we will be alone. No parking crew. No Sunday best. Summer is over. I swear, Don Henley's ode to the season, “Boys of Summer,” will be playing off in the distance.

The long, cold, dark winter will be upon us. How will I get through?

Because I know that one Friday in May, when my dog and I turn toward the arena parking lot, there they'll be. The parkers. The well-dressed crowd. The lunch coolers.

A sign from above that summer is back.

Contact the writer: David Medzerian is a longtime Long Beach resident and a senior team leader at the Register; his column appears on Monday and Friday. Reach him at dmedzerian@lbregister.com or 562-999-4929.